Avasol: my first plastic free sunscreen

23 March 2014

Summer has come to an end in the southern hemisphere while the northern hemisphere is counting down until the days are longer and warmer.
This past summer I tried out my first plastic free sunscreen by Avasol and as weather cools down as it slips into Autumn mode does not mean we should get lax about exposure to the sun.

Slip, slop, slap is a popular mantra in Australia. As little kids we were trained to slip on a shirt, slop on sunscreen and slap on a hat. This is a rule that many of us take into adulthood. But I had never thought much about the vessel my sunscreen came in. With summer holidays approaching last year and my aim to avoid unnecessary plastic in my life, my relationship to sloping on sunscreen was given a shake up.

Avasol in a small company operating out of California. They hand make each batch and ship it out to you. I never intended to buy a natural sunscreen with organic and fair trade ingredients. I only wanted one that had no plastic packaging. When I began reading about Avasol's dedication to providing a safe sunscreen that also thought about the environment I knew that I had to try it. Plus it reminded me of zinc stick (something every Australian child from the 80s and 90s would remember!).

The creation of the product is done in a way that does not harm the environment. The idea is that if the product was to be left behind at the beach, the product won't disrupt the eco system the way a 'normal' sunscreen would. They want to lessen there impact on mother earth.

I tried the people safe/ocean safe original Surfer’s Barrier Stick. The smell is much more pleasent than the sunscreen I was used too. It is water resistant and offers UVA/UVB protection. The packaging is biodegradable made from recycled paper. No plastic. I will admit that my first use left me with sunburn on my shins. I will admit that I did not reapply when I got out of the water. And being on the (very) pale side I should have adjusted for my skin type. Since, I have not been burnt and regularly use it when I ride my bike.

While the stick works well I would be more inclined to try the Environmental Defence Cream that allows for a refills. I am used to using a cream and the stick took some time to get used to.

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Hello & Welcome

I've been writing about my own journey since 2013 sharing how I've reduced plastic and my rubbish, leading to a happier and healthier life. Through my pursuit to live plastic-free and zero-waste, I've learnt to eat real food, discovered new skills, cut down my exposure to harmful chemicals, found joy in moments over things and simplified my life, while saving money.

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